Description
These Apple Cranberry Crumble Bars are the perfect fall dessert, combining a buttery shortbread crust, a sweet-tart apple and cranberry filling, and a crunchy oat crumble topping. They’re easy to make and ideal for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and diced
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
- ½ cup brown sugar (for topping)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, and salt. Cut in ½ cup cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine diced apples, cranberries, ¼ cup brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for 5-7 minutes until cranberries burst and apples soften. Stir in cornstarch and cook for 1 more minute until thickened. Remove from heat.
- Spread the apple-cranberry mixture evenly over the baked crust.
- In a small bowl, mix oats, ½ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, and melted butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the fruit filling.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.
Notes
- For best results, let bars cool fully before slicing to prevent crumbling.
- Substitute frozen cranberries without thawing; adjust cooking time slightly if needed.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- Prep Time: PT20M
- Cook Time: PT40M
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg